FUKUCHIYO SHUZO

SAGA

Saga Prefecture is located in the north west of Kyushu Island, which is the southernmost of the four major islands in the Japanese Archipelago. Saga is bordered by the Genkai Sea and Tsushima Strait in the north and in the south by the Ariake Sea. The Ariake Sea has a huge flat land area covering 6 km that appears offshore and because of it’s maximum tidal range only being about 6 m there are numerous types of unique fish living in the Ariake Sea and because of this is known as one of the best sources of delicacies in Japan. Saga is only 200km from the Korean Peninsula which has made the prefecture an important gateway for trade with other Asian cultures and it is thought that rice farming was introduced into Japan through the Kyushu province around 500BC from China. This largely rural prefecture has the Sefuri Mountain Range in the north and the vast Saga Plains in the south, with almost 70% of the total prefecture consisting of agricultural lands and forests. Numerous rice terraces can be found throughout the prefecture with many of them being considered amongst the best rice fields in Japan. These terraces are rice fields that have been shaped like shelves, made on hills by opening up lands and drawing water from rivers into them and have not only become important for their crops but are also known for their beauty with many becoming tourist attractions. One in particular - the Rice Terrace of Hama-no-Ura, is a spectacular sight in early May when its 283 paddies are filled with water and become like various sized mirrors reflecting the sky.

Fukuchiyo Shuzo was founded in 1924 and is located south of Saga City in the town of Kashima which faces the Ariake Sea. The Kuramoto [Brewery Owner] Naoki Iimori is also the Toji [Master Brewer] and his aim is to create sake that tastes unique, vibrant and fresh. One of the ways Iimori-san does this is by brewing his sake at low temperatures over a long period. All of Fukuchiyo’s sake are made with a Sokujo moto [modern starter method] which at most breweries would mean a 14-16 day ferment, however Iimori-san doubles this time to around 30-33 days. This ‘slow and low’ ferment creates freshness with body. All of the sake at Fukuchiyo are also Muroka, or made without charcoal filtration. Iimori-san believes that if sake is made with quality ingredients and attention to detail, then charcoal filtration is not required. Nabeshima is the clan name of a prominent Samurai clan of Kyushu that controlled the domain of Saga from the late Sengoku period through to the Edo period. The Nabeshima name was taken by Shigenao Shoni [from the Shoni clan] in the late 15th century when he established himself at Nabeshima in Hizen Province, which today is part of Saga City. The Nabeshima clan played an important role in the region for centuries and Fukuchiyo have named their sake range in their honour.

FUKUCHIYO SHUZO - SAGA

CLASSIFICATION:

Junmai • Pure Rice Sake

Daiginjo • Rice polished to 50% or less

Muroka • No charcoal filtration

This Nabeshima Daiginjō is made using Yamada Nishiki rice, often given the moniker ‘King of Sake Rice’. The majority of daiginjō sake are made using this rice strain as it helps produce a fragrant sake with a soft rounded flavour. Yamada Nishiki rice reliably produces a rice grain that has a consistent size and texture with a dense white core and a low protein content, however it can also be difficult to grow so Fukuchiyo Shuzō has sourced the rice for this sake from Toyama which is one of the areas that grows exceptional Yamada Nishiki rice. The Nabeshima is also nama-cho which means that unlike conventional pasteurised sake which is heat treated twice, this sake has been stored unpasteurised until bottling where it is then heat treated once. This is done to retain some of the fresh, lively palate of nama [unpasteurised] sake whilst gaining some roundness and depth during the ageing period after pasteurisation. Delicate floral, pear and fennel aroma with a delicate honeydew melon palate that starts sweet and finishes with an gently spice laden, dry finish.

FUKUCHIYO SHUZO - SAGA

CLASSIFICATION:

Junmai • Pure Rice Sake

Ginjo • Rice polished to 60% or less

Muroka • No charcoal filtration

The Nabeshima Nakagumi is also nama-cho which means that unlike conventional pasteurised sake which is heat treated twice, this sake has been stored unpasteurised until bottling where it is then heat treated once. This is done to retain some of the fresh, lively palate of nama [unpasteurised] sake whilst gaining some roundness and depth during the ageing period after pasteurisation. A fragrant nose of melon and aniseed. The palate has a mellow texture with a spine of spice along the tongue. The finish has a refreshing acidic lift.

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Black Market Sake supports the responsible service of alcohol. It is against the law to sell or supply to, or obtain alcohol on behalf of, a person under the age of 18 years. You must be over 18 years of age to place an order online.